This invention falls into the category of strumming aids for persons who play stringed instruments and specifically to those aids that are worn upon the finger or thumb. This invention is an improvement upon an existing invention entitled “Contoured Finger Pick for Stringed Instruments”, invented by Matthew A. Culver et al. and will be referred to as “the invention” or “this invention” throughout the remainder of this specification. The prior art upon which this invention is an improvement will be referred to as “prior art contoured pick”. The prior art term “pick saddle” is the contoured pick without the elastic band which aids in securing the pick saddle to a finger or thumb. Said term is used in this specification in the same way.
In the prior art patent specification of the contoured pick Mr. Culver addresses six problems that his invention solves over previous prior art. The problems with existing finger and thumb picks are as follows:
(1) The pick causes discomfort after a few minutes of use.
(2) The pick interferes with the player's natural playing style.
(3) It requires the player to learn a new picking style.
(4) It slips from position while in use and requires frequent readjustment.
(5) It doesn't produce the desired sound of a conventional plectrum
(6) Unwanted sounds are made when the user inadvertently touches an adjacent string.
In fact, the prior art contoured pick does solve these problems but introduces a few new problems. The problems with the prior art contoured pick are as follows:
(1) The band of the contoured pick covers too much of the fingertip and interferes with the playing of the instrument.
(2) There is not an adequate securing means of the band to the pick saddle.
(3) The abrupt corners on the upper surface of the pick flange as it attaches to the saddle inhibit the smooth playing of “backstrokes”.
(4) On the picks for fingers, not thumbs, the saddle extends in a lateral direction too far over the side of the finger and causes noise if it contacts an adjacent string.
In addition to solving the problems with the prior art contoured pick this invention discloses three additional novel features. This invention discloses (1) a pick element and a modified lower saddle surface for the thumb pick to replace the pick flange, (2) a means of securing the band to the pick saddle, and (3) a special design feature which causes the pick saddle to be much more flexible, thus adding to the comfort of the pick.